Hammersmith and Fulham Group - London Cycling Campaign

Hammersmith
Bridge

We want to see the roadway made safer and less threatening for cyclists. We want a 20mph speed limit on the bridge and a cycle lane or markings on the roadway to indicate that cyclists are expected to take a dominant road position.

The road surface is not fit for purpose. see surface.htm

Meanwhile the surface has been deteriorating yet further, and becomes alive as a vehicle passes certain points. This is a further cause for worry. We have put the following videos on YouTube
http://youtu.be/oF3BunxIY5s
http://youtu.be/HYxq71_TsFU

28 June 2012 - Ride with the Leader of the Council, Cllr Nick Botterill, and Cllr Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler to examine possibilities for Hammersmith Bridge, Hammersmith Bridge road and King Street [Click here]

26 June 2012 - Site visit with LBHF Officer Slobodan Vuckovik to look at the crossing of Hammersmith Bridge rd, where cyclists coming from Hammersmith Btridge would want to turn right to join the CSH9 [Click here]

2 June 2012 - Flashride to celebrate Clara's escape and to demand that LBHF takes action on the Bridge

Alexis, Clara, Claude with John Griffiths after the protest ride.

An emotional Clara and her mother Claude talk to cyclists

Clara's father Alexis describes what happened.

short video of flashride - from John Griffiths

short video of flashride - from Beth of LDN Bike Swarm

Press photos of demonstration by Nelson Pereira

Online version of Chronicle article 8 June 2912

Letter in Chronicle 22 June 2012

26 May 2012 - Clara Vergez pinned against pillar on bridge during traffic incident. Clara not physically harmed.

THE SPEED OF VEHICLES passing close to cyclists is excessive.

Southbound at least 15% of vehicles exceed 30mph at all times apart from the evening peak from 1600 to 1930.

See the DfT plots of speeds where the plots are larger and clearer and an explanation is given

The HIGHWAY CODE

RULE 163

......
give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211-215)

RULE 129

Double white lines where the line nearest you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less.
[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 26]

25 March 2011 - we are asking LBHF to put a 20mph speed limit on the bridge on the engineering grounds that it is falling apart. TheCaseFor20mphOnHammersmithBridge.doc [2.8MB] was sent to To Cllrs Stephen Greenhalgh, Nick Botterill; Anvar Alizadeh, Chris Bainbridge, Nick Boyle.

November 2010 - we are asking the Council to put a 20mph limit on the bridge. We ran a survey via email groups asking questions about cycling over Hammersmith Bridge.

Here are the results of the survey. 92% would like to see a 20mph speed limit on the bridge. We are presenting this as evidence as part of the LIP consultation

RESULTS OF THE SURVEY

All tick box questions
Open-ended question page 1
Open-ended question page 2
Open-ended question page 3
Home postcodes
Work postcodes

see LIP

Previously

So far the action by the Council on the roadway of the bridge has been zilch. We hope something significant will be done. We have suggested a 20mph speed limit and markings to indicate cyclist priority at the pinch points.

There was a meeting in January 2003 with Roger Khanna of LBHF where the bridge was discussed. Roger' advice was "I would cycle in the centre of that lane so that I would not get squeezed."

In August 2003 There was a question of whether cyclists should be penalised for cycling on the footways, especially carers accompanying children cycling to school. There was a meeting with the Council concerning this.

After this meeting signs were put on the footway indicating that cycling is forbidden there. Some people find these signs confusing.

A very useful discussion on pinch points can be found at the this link . [Note - this link has been rescued by Trevor Parsons after the original webpage had disappeared]